Any district that has witnessed more than 60% deficit in rainfall makes it eligible to be declared drought-hit, but braving adversity, Kadapa has created history not only by improving its groundwater table, but also storing sufficient water in its reservoirs. Enduring the jolt dealt by the rainfall pegged at 64.02% less than normal, the district has a collective storage of a whopping 18.19 tmcft in all its reservoirs, as the State government claims.
Terming as history the water storage-levels in Kadapa district during July-August period, notwithstanding the scanty rainfall, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy attributes it to the scores of developmental works taken up under ‘Neeru Pragathi’ in the district and the release of water through Pattiseema, unmindful of the discouraging inflow levels into Nagarjunasagar and Prakasam barrage.
Addressing the media here on Wednesday after reviewing the drought situation with officials, the Minister pointed to the fact that water transportation through tankers had been necessitated in only 32 out of the 1,400 plus villages in the district, which bore testimony to the government's foresight in planning contingency measures.
Water release
On the Irrigation Advisory Board’s decision to release water to Kadapa district by September 1, Mr. Reddy announced that steps would be taken to release 10-11 tmcft of water at the earliest to fill the Pothuluri Veera Brahmendra Swamy, Gandikota, Chitravati and Mylavaram reservoirs in the district on a priority basis, to be adjusted against the allotted figure later.
Disturbing trend
The Minister expressed concern over the steep fall in area under cultivation, from 1.34 lakh hectares to a mere 15,000 hectares, down by 88 per cent. “In view of the severity of drought, the government has decided to promote alternate crops by distributing seeds free of cost. Last year, we provided ₹13 crore to save the standing crop in lemon and mango orchards in Kodur, Pulivendula, Rayachoti and Rajampet constituencies. Our steps towards strengthening tanks, checkdams and desilting has obviated the need for transportation this year,” he observed.
Mr. Reddy also appealed to the farmers to use rain guns wherever required and called upon the Collector Ch. Hari Kiran to use his discretion in providing additional hours of power for agriculture, as and when found necessary.
Marketing Minister Ch. Adinarayana Reddy announced that apart from saving water for agriculture, the government had also ensured payment of work worth ₹400 crore in the district and a daily wage of ₹205 to every worker under NREGA. Government whip Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy and TTD Trust Board member P. Sudhakar Yadav were among those present.
